<nettime> downing st plagiarizes case against iraq

["nettime's_roving_reporter" <nettime@bbs.thing.net>]

     [via <tbyfield@panix.com>]

the relevant links:

     Downing Street: Iraq dossier 
     Number 10's document entitled "Iraq - its infrastructure of concealment,
     deception and intimidation"
          <http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page7111.asp>

     Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) 
     Ibrahim al-Marashi's thesis entitled: "Iraq's Security & Intelligence 
     Network: A Guide & Analysis" 
          <http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2002/issue3/jv6n3a1.html>


<http://www.channel4.com/news/home/z/stories/20030206/dossier.html>

   Downing St dossier plagiarised
   Iraq

   Published: 6 February 2003
   Reporter: Julian Rush

   The government's carefully co-ordinated propaganda offensive took an
   embarrassing hit tonight after Downing Street was accused of
   plagiarism.

   Read sample of the accused plagiarised text 

   The target is an intelligence dossier released on Monday and heralded
   by none other than Colin Powell at the UN yesterday.

   Channel Four News has learnt that the bulk of the nineteen page
   document was copied from three different articles - one written by a
   graduate student.

   On Monday, the day before the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell
   addressed the UN, Downing Street published its latest paper on Iraq.

   It gives the impression of being an up to the minute
   intelligence-based analysis - and Mr Powell was fulsome in his praise.

   Published on the Number 10 web site, called "Iraq - Its Infrastructure
   of Concealment Deception and Intimidation", it outlines the structure
   of Saddam's intelligence organisations.

   But it made familiar reading to Cambridge academic Glen Ranwala. It
   was copied from an article last September in a small journal: the
   Middle East Review of International Affairs.

   It's author, Ibrahim al-Marashi, a postgraduate student from Monterey
   in California. Large sections do indeed appear, verbatim.

   A section, for example, six paragraphs long, on Saddam's Special
   Security Organisation, the exact same words are in the Californian
   student's paper.

   In several places Downing Street edits the originals to make more
   sinister reading.

   Number 10 says the Mukhabarat - the main intelligence agency - is
   "spying on foreign embassies in Iraq".

   The original reads: "monitoring foreign embassies in Iraq."

   And the provocative role of "supporting terrorist organisations in
   hostile regimes" has a weaker, political context in the original:
   "aiding opposition groups in hostile regimes."

   Even typographic mistakes in the original articles are repeated.

   Of military intelligence, al-Marashi writes in his original paper:

   "The head of military intelligence generally did not have to be a
   relative of Saddam's immediate family, nor a Tikriti. Saddam
   appointed, Sabir Abd Al-Aziz Al-Duri as head..." Note the comma after
   appointed.

   Downing Street paraphrases the first sentence: "Saddam appointed,
   Sabir 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Duri as head during the 1991 Gulf War."

   This second line is cut and pasted, complete with the same grammatical
   error.

   plagiarism is regarded as intellectual theft.

   Sample text

   Government dossier: (page 13), published Jan 2003 

   "Saddam appointed, Sabir 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Duri as head during the 1991
   Gulf War. After the Gulf War he was replaced by Wafiq Jasim
   al-Samarrai.

   After Samarrai, Muhammad Nimah al-Tikriti headed Al-Istikhbarat
   al-Askariyya in early 1992 then in late 1992 Fanar Zibin Hassan
   al-Tikriti was appointed to this post.

   These shifting appointments are part of Saddam's policy of balancing
   security positions. By constantly shifting the directors of these
   agencies, no one can establish a base in a security organisation for a
   substantial period of time. No one becomes powerful enough to
   challenge the President."

   al-Marashi document: (section: "MILITARY INTELLIGENCE", published sept
   2002 - relevant parts have been underlined

   Saddam_appointed,_Sabir_Abd_al-Aziz_al-Duri(80)_as_head_of_Military
   Intelligence_during_the_1991_Gulf_War.(81)_After_the_Gulf_War_he_was
   replaced_by_Wafiq_Jasim_al-Samarrai.(82)

   After_Samarrai,_Muhammad_Nimah_al-Tikriti(83)_headed_Military
   Intelligence_in_early_1992(84)_then_in_late_1992_Fanar_Zibin_Hassan
   al-Tikriti_was_appointed_to_this_post.(85) While Fanar is from Tikrit,
   both Sabir al-Duri and Samarrai are non-Tikriti Sunni Muslims, as
   their last names suggest.

   Another source indicates that Samarrai was replaced by Khalid Salih
   al-Juburi,(86) demonstrating how another non-Tikriti, but from the
   tribal alliance that traditionally support the regime holds top
   security positions in Iraq.(87)

   These_shifting_appointments_are_part_of_Saddams_policy_of_balancing
   security_positions between Tikritis and non-Tikritis, in the belief
   that the two factions would not unite to overthrow him. Not only that,
   but_by_constantly_shifting_the_directors_of_these_agencies,_no_one_can
   establish_a_base_in_a_security_organization_for_a_substantial_period
   of_time,_that_would_challenge_the_President.(88)

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